Simony
by Hungarian Hexes
Summary: Simony has lived with her brother, Zev, ever since her parents died. Now Severus Snape has found half the truth, and Zev and Simony are headed for Riddle's fortress for a Potions conference to remain nuetral. Can things get any better?
1. In Which We Are Introduced

Okay, this is a bit revised..._ someone_ thought the language was too strong for a T (PG-13) rated fic... So I took them out of their misery.

Severus Snape sneered at a group of teenage boys circling a young girl, at the most ten years old. The girl had long black hair tucked up in a ponytail and was clutching a scrappy black bag to her chest. Her green eyes were wide with fear and a tinge of determination. She backed away into the ally wall, closing the circle herself.

"Give us the frickin' bag, you w#0$." the leader, a tall boy that seemed to be about seventeen hissed.

The girl seemed to stand up straighter, as if this happened every day. "No, I don't think I will, you worthless b!(#." Snape was slightly impressed with the way she talked with superiority; but insulting a man's virility was about the worst thing someone could do.

"You little s#! How about this; give us the bag and we might actually pay you to have a good time, don't, and we'll just have to kill you after we have our pleasure." the leader sneered.

"That's if you can catch me." the girl flung out a hand and some force threw the five boys a few yards away, into the ally wall if they were lucky, into a window nearby if they weren't. She shook her head in disgust and turned away from the scene of the skirmish and breaking into a slow run through the streets. Snape rolled his eyes and set off after her, wanting to make sure she had a proper teacher, or at least had someone to teach her about magic.

It wasn't as if Snape was growing soft, it's just that another witch controlled was another less witch for his master, Lord Voldemort, to destroy, or conquer. It was preferable to conquer, rather than kill – it was just too messy to kill everyone, and most people would rather save their own skins than stand up to the greatest Dark Lord of all time. But this girl showed promise of being either a formidable enemy, or being a valuable ally. It was better the second.

The girl stopped in front of a little visited store for miscellaneous items from books and texts to candy and beverages. The girl rang the bell on the counter and hopped up and sat on it, fiddling with a dagger on display. Soon, a man only slightly shorter than Snape himself with auburn hair and hazel eyes , looking to be about seventeen, stepped out of the shadows around the counter, somehow managing to surprise Snape, but the girl showed no reaction whatsoever.

"You're late." the man accused.

"It's not my fault; I ran into Dursley's gang on the way and had to pretend the shy, innocent, scared little girl who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And anyways, Zev, you know you love me and would do anything for me." the girl glanced up with the cutest, most angelic face in the world that Snape was sure that even Voldemort's heart would melt.

"Simony Avan Ashwood, you stop that that instant. There's no time for you're Angel Face, although you've gotten better at it – maybe next time I'll feel a twinge of remorse at assigning you the task of cleaning and rewriting the labels on the potions on the back rack." Simony's sweet face was immediately exchanged for a dark scowl.

"Oh come on! I did that yesterday!"

"Really? They look a bit messy." Zev raised an eyebrow in a question.

"That's because you don't know how to read at all." Simony retorted quickly.

"No way, I can read type, but not the hand of a young girl."

"Then why did you assign me the task?" Simony asked, sliding off the counter, letting Snape could get a good picture of her; bright green eyes; shiny jet hair; a slim waist, No doubt drawing the attention of boys already, Snape thought; graceful, long fingers and hands; and there was quite a bit of muscle on her body, but subtle and built fur speed work.

"…Cause I like to annoy you." Zev picked Simony you started to tickle her, while the girl squirmed and giggled. Zev finally put her down. "There you go, runt. Now, scoot; I have some customers coming and they aren't the kind of people you exactly want to meet in a dark ally."

"You mean like the Nightcrawlers?" Simony asked as she was gently pushed into the storeroom in the back. "Because those weren't scary. They were actually pretty nice."

"No, not like the Nightcrawlers – worse. Much worse." Zev said seriously.

"Worse?" Simony was hooked.

"Yes. We're not dealing with magical beings – those can be negotiated with if they catch sight of you. We're dealing with the Inner Circle of Lord Riddle."

"You mean like the warlocks I saw exiting the shop when I came last month?" Simony innocently asked.

"What did you do to them?" Zev demanded.

"Oh, nothing, I just broke a couple arms when they tried to capture me." Snape could almost see the girl's face, green eyes wide with innocence, lips curved in a cute smile. "In the end they decided I wasn't worth the effort."

"Oh god…you're deep in trouble with them now, Simony. Just go and label the bottles…I'll let you out when they're gone." Zev sighed.

"Fine Zev; I'll see you later." Simony said and Zev closed the door and warded it against harm. Snape watched as the man opened the door to the back yard and three Death Eaters stepped in. Immediately Zev stood back and inclined his head a bit in salutation. The leader of the trio removed his hood and Snape saw that it was Lucius Malfoy.

"Greetings, Zeveth Andrus. Is the shipment ready?" Lucius asked in silky, refined tones that clearly said he was a gentleman born into the complex hierarchy of the pureblood families.

"Mister Malfoy, your shipment is ready; please convey my greetings to your Lord. While I fetch the package, feel free to explore my shop." Zev replied in a voice almost as silky as Lucius's own. Snape watched Zev quickly escape through the door to the back shop and return minutes later with a rather large sphere covered with brown construction paper.

"I shall convey your message to the Dark Lord. Good day, Zeveth Andrus." The Death Eaters walked out the back door with those words and Snape could hear a faint pop as they disapparated. Zev ran a hand through his short cropped auburn hair as he sighed in relief. Snape could see that he was uncomfortable around Death Eaters, but would trade with them, trying to remain neutral in the oncoming war.

"Simony, they're gone." Zev called quietly as he opened the door to the store room.

"So the package was the right one? You could read the writing?" Simony grinned.

"Only because I labeled it myself, runt." Zev grabbed the smaller girl around the waist and initiated a small wrestling match, won by the older. The duo sat in content silence for a moment, until Simony broke the silence.

"Zev? Why is it so hard to be neutral in this war? Why does Lord Riddle want so much power? And why is he so cruel about it?" Snape was surprised that a mere ten-year-old was thinking thoughts that complex – most girls her age were thinking about how to get to the nearest Claire's® and spend her allowance.

"Well, that's an interesting topic, runt." Zev turned Simony in his arms until she faced him. "It's hard to remain neutral because both sides want to win badly, and will do anything to. Lord Riddle wants power because he was looked down upon all his life, never given respect until he entered Hogwarts, and even there he had to earn it. All his life he craved attention due to…circumstances, and now that he has enough power, he just wants more. He's hooked on it. I'm not sure while he's so cruel about receiving power, but it probably has something to do with the fact that to him, to be kind is to be stupid, and Lord Riddle hates being stupid."

"Well, he's being stupid by being influenced by old prejudices and learning's. Isn't it better to keep an open mind, and gain power by friendship, rather than force?" Snape could detect a remorseful tone in the young girl's voice as she spoke. "That way, there's always someone to support you, rather than a great abyss ready to swallow you."

"It's always best, runt. But some people can't see further than the end of their own noses, and while they might mean well, what they do isn't always." Zev smiled crookedly.

"You mean like that bumblebee guy?" Simony asked with interest. "Because he was really nice, but he seemed a bit blind. He treated me like a baby."

Zev groaned. "I should never have taught you foreign languages. Yes, it's like Dumbledore. He's done so much, that he's started to believe in his own legacy, not remembering that he himself was your age. He's forgotten that this time, someone else might be the one in charge. Simony, you must promise me that you will never repeat what you hear in here to others, especially the muggles. Most will never understand, or will use the war for personal gain. You must promise me."

Simony bit her lip, but promised, "I promise that I will never tell anyone not worthy. But, if I find someone that needs it for the right reasons, I will tell them. You know that." Simony looked up to see Zev smile half-heartedly.

"I didn't expect anything less." Zev picked up the younger girl and stood up with a yawn. "Now come on. We should get this place cleaned up." He whispered something in Simony's ear and she glanced towards Snape, and nodded, grin creeping up on her face. "Now, go get it, and don't be late again. If you find Dursley, just kick his ass, for heaven's sake."

"See ya, Zev. Back in ten." Simony skipped out of the shop, not even looking at Snape once. She turned the corner and dashed off into the main part of town. Snape decided to pay a visit to this Zev Andrus, just for curiosities – big curiosities.

"Mr. Andrus." Snape said quietly as he opened the door. "I have heard that you carry an amazingly wide array of Potions."

"That I do." Zev answered as he looked up. "Which one would you be after?"

"The Wolfsbane." Snape said, knowing that it was one of the hardest Potions to brew in the world.

"Ah, I'll go and get it for you. Please wait here for me." Zev went into the back room again and came out seconds later carrying a small vial filled with a dark liquid. "One pint of Wolfsbane – that will be three Galleons."

"You must have a fine helper to be so talented so to brew a Wolfsbane Potion so finely." Snape carefully set out his trap, fully aware that the man might step over it.

"I brew my Potions myself, sir." Zev's face closed down on all emotions. "My sister helps with labeling when she can fit it into her busy schedule – she has five children, you know – but not a regular helper."

"Now there you lie; Zeveth Andrus." Snape snarled. "What about that Ashwood girl that was in here moments before I came in?"

"Simony is none of your concern." Zev whispered in heated tones. "If you know about her, you are certainly a spy – for which side I couldn't care less. Now, pay and get the hell out of here."

Snape dropped three Galleons onto the counter and turned heel. At the door, he paused, and said quietly, "I know where she is. I could take her for the Dark. You'd never see her again. Remember that, and never cross me again. Good day, Mr. Andrus." Snape took a great pleasure in seeing the color drain from Zev's face as the door swung shut behind him. Now, about that Ashwood girl... She was most likely a Pureblood, and taught well by some school or another, it didn't matter which.

Lord Voldemort would accept her anyways. She was powerful, and servants with power were the best. With practice and the right cultivation, she had the potential to become greater than the Dark Lord himself. She could be his heir, to rule when he was gone. All hope for the light had disappeared when the little Potter baby died.

It was hoped that she could have destroyed Snape's Lord, but that plan backfired when little Ryoku Potter died of disease when she was one year old, nine years ago. Her older brother, Nicolas was never found, but he was only eight when his sister died, and was in no place to fight. Lily and James were killed in a raid soon after, and when they died, so did the hopes of a baby that could defeat Voldemort.

Sure, Dumbledore was still alive, but he was getting old and weary, and had given up any hope of winning. It was looking bleak for the Light, and Snape wasn't going to help them. Heck no. He was going to live through this war, and was going by the philosophy, "Lean to both sides, and you won't fall over." He was working for the Phoenix Order, and the Dark Order, making potions. He was trying to remain neutral, like Zev and Simony, although at this point in time, Snape was leaning towards the Dark side. He wouldn't fall if he was resting on something.

But back to Simony. That girl had talent, and unless she was in some kind of Order al ready, she was in hiding, trying to get away from the Orders. Snape hadn't heard of any new recruits, and the Phoenixes wouldn't allow a ten year old girl into their group. They were too "noble". Or so they thought. Really, they were just ignoring hidden talent. Snape snorted and apparated away to his home in Bath.


	2. Fire Up The Stones

Thanks to **The Red Dragons Order**, whose review inspired me to keep writing this.

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When Simony walked back to find Zev's head repeatedly smacking the counter, she immediately knew there was something wrong. She dropped the shopping bag she was carrying – full of food; that's all – on the counter next to the other bag she dropped earlier – full of armadillo bile – and marched over to her brother. "Zeveth Nicolas Andrus, stop that right now before you give yourself brain damage!"

Zev glanced up into his sisters eyes and smiled. "Hey Simony. Back already?"

"Of course not, I'm just a shadow of your dear sister, sent from beyond the grave." Simony retorted.

"Okay, you probably want to know why I was about to give myself brain damage." Simony nodded at Zev's statement. "Well, we found another spy – and it's probably another double agent. It's Severus Snape. He quit teaching at Hogwarts when you supposedly died." Zev told his little sister, Simony Ryoku Potter Ashwood. "And now he's interested in you."

"Well, that's an inconvenience." Simony commented. Zev snorted. "Maybe a bit more than an inconvenience."

"Uh, yeah! And I, being a so-called 'Potions Master', have to go to Lazarin for a conference with the Dark Lord's Masters. And you have to come with." Zev exploded.

"Calm down – we're not in the crap pile yet." Simony calmed her brother. "Plus, I can handle myself if need be."

"Simony, Lazarin is the Headquarters of the darkest force on the Earth at this point in time. You are the Prophecy child; the one destined to defeat Voldemort. If you walk into Lazarin, you could be signing your death warrant." Zev emphasized his last sentence, grabbing his sister's shoulders. He was surprised when Simony, usually the last person to show emotion other then when acting, flung herself onto him, shoulders shaking with tears.

"I don't want it! I don't want any of it! I just want to be normal. No more hiding, no more lies, no treading carefully and learning to kill." Simony gasped between sobs. "Why couldn't someone else be the damn Prophecy Child? I don't want it…" The two siblings just sat there, waiting for Simony to wind down. Once she did, the blank mask that could bend but never break was back in place. She wiped her face dry and sat up straight, ready for business.

"Okay, are they any Death Munchers that can see through glamour charms like Moody?" the girl asked of her big brother. "If they can't, is there any chance Riddle will see us?"

"The only way the Munchers'll be able to see you truly is to place a detection charm on you, and most of them will never think of it. Those that will won't ever see you close enough to cast it." Zev smiled slightly. "This is guessing that you'll use glamour. And by the way, Riddle shouldn't be anywhere near you during your stay in Lazarin, but there's still a chance that a fan will recognize the coincidences. Just be on your guard."

Simony tweaked her brother's nose and stood up. "You'd better be careful, too, Mr. Zeveth Andrus! I'm not the one who was arguing with one of the most renowned Poisons Masters in the known Wizarding World. And you'll be the one working with the slimeball, not me. The worst I'll have to do is converse with some Munchers' children."

"That humor ain't gonna work with me this time, Miss Ashwood." Zev replied wryly. "But you're right; Snape _is_ a slimeball. Although he knows 99 percent of the Poisons by heart, and can brew the other 1 percent well, he's a slimeball."

"A slimeball who should wash his hair more then twice a year." Simony grinned, pleased to have gotten his brother back to normal. "You know, if you smiled more often, you'd have girls hanging off you 24-7." She stretched and ascended the narrow staircase to the siblings' apartment above the small shop. She heard her brother have a date with his two favorite friends, balance and gravity.

CRASH!

The raven-haired girl giggled and started working on her glamour for their stay in Lazarin. Simony decided she should have blue eyes with hazel-ish streaks, reddish hair like Zev's. She was going as her brother's niece – a laugh, if you really think of it. The now-blue-eyed girl was going as her own daughter.

Simony shook her head to get those thoughts out of her head so she could concentrate. It was kind of hard to combine several charms (no matter that they were of the same kind), and since it was going to be up 24-7, the ten-year-old would have to center it on a keystone, preferably one that she could carry around on a necklace.

"You know, that emerald I gave you last year would work for the keystone." Simony almost shrieked as she spun around and saw that it was only her friend, Chris. "What's the matter, did I scare you?"

Chris Firestone was a… well, it was complicated. For the most part, he was a Vampire, but his great-grandmother was an Elf, his Great-grandfather was a Drow (shadow creature resembling an Elf), and his mother had Were-animal blood in her. So Chris was part Vampire, Elf, Drow, and Were-fox (a Were-fox is exactly the same as a Were-wolf, except the person changes into a type of fox, and it happens of New Moons, not Full Moons).

"Well, Firestone," Simony began, "I was concentrating on a way to keep you from breaking into my room every night. You're supposed to be tired, anyways. New Moon's tomorrow."

"I already drank my dose of yuck tonight." Chris rolled his eyes. "I swear, your brother, as nice as he may be, must have a sadistic side to him. If he's as good as he seems with Potions, he must have a way to make them taste better!"

Simony smirked. "Well, Mr. Almighty-Vampire, If you're so picky, try making it taste better yourself! I'd recommend adding nightshade and belladonna."

"I'll pass, thank you very much." Chris scowled darkly. "You know how much I hate brewing potions. If it weren't for you, I'd have failed my first year at Crow's Claw."

"Thank you for finally observing my superior-ness in Potions!" Simony bowed grandly with many waves of the hands and flourishes. It's not like anyone could see, anyways. "Now, you said that the Emerald you gave me would be a good keystone?"

"Yeah." Chris looked his friend's work over a couple of times. "It'll combine the spells inside the rock, but unfortunately, it'll hold only one combo. But it's the right size for a necklace charm." He grinned and produced a thin copper chain from his breast-pocket. "For such a fine lady as yourself."

"Thank you, kind sir." the girl quirked her head slightly. "Are you sure you can't read minds, or do that Legimenti-whatsit thing? Cuz that's the only way you'd have known I didn't have any chains to use."

Chris dropped the chain on Simony's desk and tapped his temples lightly. "It's Telepathy. Only Drow have it, unfortunately, along with the other two Tele-powers. Otherwise I'd teach them to you."

"Spoilsport." Simony grumbled. "Go away; I have things to do besides talking to a smug humanoid."

"Fine. I'll be downstairs with your less moody brother." With a swish of his trench, Chris went down the stairs. Simony heard the timbre of his brother's bass voice and the higher pitch of Chris's tenor start up under her. The words on the page spun beneath her eyes.

Simony blinked and suddenly felt another presence in the room. It was different from Chris's and Zev's. Older, more powerful, even. The sable haired girl turned her swivel chair around to face her new guest.

It was a man, about six feet, maybe taller. He had spiky brown hair and obsidian eyes that twinkled slightly. Simony wrenched her eyes away from those hypnotizing pits of black and found them landing on his teeth. His incisors were bared and looked dangerously sharp. Simony realized why she was feeling so… cut off from the world.

This was one of the Eldars, one of the oldest Vampires in existence. All of them were dmn powerful, were dangerously stealthy, and were unbearably polite and charming. "Are you going to invite me to sit down?" The Eldar's voice was rich and full, the kind that anyone would listen to for hours.

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Oooo! What does the Eldar want? Reviews would be nice... They can get me to write faster if you like it...

I modeled Chris after a friend of mine - whose name is Chris! Questions, Comments, Concerns, anyone?


	3. The Night and the Day Before

Well, I must admit that I am beginning to love this story a bit more then _**Syn**_. I've had the first pat of this chapter done for ages, but the second part was written recently, and all that jazz. My sister rented _**Chicago**_ and now I can't get **_The Cell Block Tango_** out of my head. Anyways, without further ado, her is the third installment of **_Simony_**:

* * *

**_Chapter Three : The Night and Day Before_**

"I would have done it quicker if you had turned your aura down a few hundred notches." Simony smiled. "I would be honored if you joined me."

The Eldar sat down in Zev's chair. "Thank you, Ryoku – or is it now Simony?"

"You know me?" Simony questioned, racking her mind for any memory of this man in front of her. It wasn't hard to go through her catalogue of memories from her meditation, but she came up with nothing. Not one single reference. "Does that mean you knew my parents?"

"Yes, child, I knew Lily and James. Both intelligent and nice to have as friends, if I may say so myself." the Eldar laughed. "By the way, I'm Zafeth Lindenshield. I'm one of the oldest Eldars, and a close friend to the Potter family through the ages. I've been watching you, Prophecy-Child, for a long time now. I approve your choice in friends – Chris Firestone is a loyal boy and will follow you anywhere. Just don't abuse that, mind you."

"I wouldn't dare! He's my best friend, besides Zev." Simony almost cried in outrage. "And Zev doesn't really count; he's my brother, for crying out loud."

"Just had to get it out of the way — Vampires take care of their own, especially when most others won't." Zafeth shrugged, referring to the notorious history Vampires shared with many other humanoids. Most of it consisted of long and bloody wars, mass executions (who do you think the Aztecs used for a man in their rituals when they needed someone to survive a lot of pain?) and hostiles. "Now, I heard your brother has to go to Lazarin for a Potions Conference."

"Yeah, and I have to go too since there's no other family around." Simony said bitterly. Suddenly, she had an idea; "Unless you'd be willing to take care of me until Zev gets back?"

Zafeth laughed loudly. "Prophecy-Child, I'd love to, but to do that, you'd have to be a Vampire." It was pretty common knowledge, something that Simony had forgotten, that most clans couldn't stand young humans in their Mansions. It was something about them being too corruptible, but Simony personally thought this to be BS — some of the most strong-willed people she knew were under twenty.

"Ah," Simony offered ineloquently. "That would kinda ruin my day."

"Death gets that kind of reaction from most people." Zafeth grinned widely.

"Yeah…" Simony trailed off. The silence grew and the girl looked back at her half-way covered paper, examining it for a fault in the reasoning and spellwork diagrams. "Uh, did you have something you wanted to say, like a reason for your visit? Do you need a potion, or something?"

Zafeth seemed kind of relieved Simony chose to break the silence. It seemed that Immortals could become uneasy at another's company as well. "I need two pints of the Moonray Potion. We ran out of it at the Mansion, and the younger Vampires are starting to turn red."

"Vampires turn red when they're exposed to sun, or at least without the proper amount of Moonray?" Simony asked, truly curious, then yelled downstairs, "Zev! I got someone here to see you!"

"Coming!" Zev yelled back.

"Are you always like this?" Zafeth asked, amused.

"No, not always," Simony began. "Just about ninety-nine percent of the time," she added as Zev and Chris walked in. Zev sat down quickly when he saw his 'baby sister' conversing lightly with a three-thousand-year-old Vampire, and Chris bowed deeply, saying, "Eldar."

"I take it you're Zev and Chris." Zafeth gave the impression of an old — very old — librarian looking over his glasses at a gaggle of kids.

"Yeah, I guess you need a potion," Zev started out of his shock. "That's all we have."

"Moonray." That was all Zafeth needed to say before Zev leaped up and dashed downstairs. Before long, the pungent smell of potions simmering over flames reached the three in the room. "Well, he's certainly efficient."

"He also has to be," Chris snorted; Simony had told him about her brother's predicament. "Or else he'd be steamrolled by Severus Snape, one of the best Poison Masters in the Human world."

"If he wasn't steamrolled by me by not doing his best," Simony added on quickly. "It's just like he'd kill me if I didn't work 'up to my full potential', as one of my old teachers put it. He was one of the craziest old bats I've ever seen, with the corny jokes to go along."

Zafeth leaned forward slightly saying, "I had a teacher kind of like that once. He's long gone now, but he always wore a long black cloak with a red lining, always carried a flask of blood around, and was the stereotypical Vampire from muggle view."

"And you aren't?" Simony quipped.

"Of course not!" Zafeth cried. "Have you ever actually worn old stockings? They itch like the wretched devil!" Chris and Simony burst into fits of laughter, Zafeth looking on helplessly. "What did I say?"

"I think it was the part about the wretched devil, Zafeth," Zev replied as Simony and Chris sobered. He held large box in his arms, the clinking inside alerted everyone that potions were inside. "Here's half a years' supply of Moonray. If you need more then, come on back."

"Thank you, Zev," Zafeth took the box from the mortal. "Oh, and Simony, use the binding charm to center your glamours in Chris's gift emerald; it has the perfect balance for your build." Then he was gone, blended into the night.

"After years of knowing him, I still don't see how he does that." Chris said lightly.

"Wait a sec, Chris," Simony snapped. "You _know_ him? I mean, before he showed up here?"

"Of course!" Chris looked at his friend like she was nuts. "He's one of the oldest vampires still alive, and the leader of those who help and interact with humans like you. He's famous for his works in the eight and ninth centuries, helping the Chinese, Egyptians, even helped the Persians conquer Jerusalem."

Simony shook her head, suddenly tired. "Well, I'm glad he doesn't hate us."

"I think many people sleep easier if Zafeth Lindenshield likes them." Chris laughed, showing his fangs and spread his black wings (like a bat's) and disappeared into the darkness, though not with the finesse that the Eldar did it with.

"Crazy Vamps," Simony muttered and got into bed, pendant and chain still lying on the desk.

* * *

The next day, Simony got right to work on her pendant, weaving the spells in and out of one another so they would hold, even if the binding charm came off. Immersed as she was in her magic, the ten-year-old didn't hear Zev moving around downstairs, or any visitors coming in. Then again, that day was quiet — the people coming in and out were regular witches and wizards, even a muggle or two that came for the storefront — it advertised sweets and cold drinks along with other knicknacks.

When Simony finally finished the charms on the emerald and copper torque, it created the appearance of the 5 foot tall girl with coal black hair and emerald eyes as a shorter girl with light brownish-red hair, cut just below the chin, and light blue eyes. Her glasses would have to come out again (Simony's myopia was cured when she was five) if only to create another difference between her and bookish little Aimee Andrus, Zeveth Andrus's niece.

"So, dearest sister of mine, have you finished as of yet?" Zev asked as Simony felt her brother's arms wrap around her in a hug. "We have to leave tomorrow for Lazarin, the conference starts in three days, and I want to get you settled in before I totally abandon you in that stone labyrinth."

"When you're ready, I'm ready," Simony assured him. "But do you have something that will make my CD player work in such a magic-based environment? I've considered wiring it on lightning, or some other force that bases on the Core, but I wasn't quite sure how to make that happen without blowing the circuit board —" Zev covered his sister's mouth with his hand.

"Stop before you give me a headache," the older Potter commanded. Simony had always been the one interested in how magic works, and furthering some of the more forgotten and unvalued branches of magic, such as Technomagia — combining modern technology with magic. Zev was sure it was interesting to those who actually understood it, but he was always more interested in Potions and Transfiguration, with a bit of Charms on the side. "You know I can't understand talk like that."

Simony gave her brother a dirty look before he uncovered her mouth. "If you actually read any of the books you feel so inclined to move onto the shelves, you might stand a chance." She bounced out of Zev's arms and picked up the necklace, designed so the emerald would fall at the base of the girl's neck. With a mock flourish, Simony clasped the chain behind her neck and felt her body change into that of Aimee Andrus.

"Wow," Zev breathed, "that is a big piece of work. Spin slowly; I'll check for inconsistencies in your weave." Contrary to whatever people may think, spell weaving was a part of regular Charms, and so most warders could do it almost effortlessly. And the gift just happened to run in the Potter bloodline.

Slightly annoyed, Simony rotated 720 degrees in front of the older Potter. She knew Zev would find no flaws, and she knew that it would take the rest of that day and the night for the spells to sink in accordingly. Right now, if the necklace was hit, the charms would start to malfunction and cause a heat haze to form around her body. If it was hit tomorrow, the spells would hold, but she would have to get out of there pretty damn fast. If it was hit in a month, the spells would give her about an hour before collapsing in on her.

"Does it pass inspection, oh great one?"

Zev pretended to scribble on an imaginary clipboard with a doubting expression on his normally care-free face. "Well, it scrapes by. Just barely, though." He performed a perfect impersonation of a health inspector gathering up his papers and items before pretending to dump it all on his bed, sitting down with a loud 'phump!'

"I'd say about the same thing for your half of the room," Simony replied wryly, referring to the mounds of parchments and other materials surrounding her brother's bed. She was normally the messy one — her handwriting could pay tribute to that — but Zev's part of the small room was almost a _sty_! "Honestly, if you find the urges to clean my side of the room, and complain about how messy I am, the least you could do is take a look at your side."

"My side is clean and ordered chaos," the auburn-haired man frowned. His sister raised an eyebrow from her perch on the desk. "Hey! At least I stuck 'chaos' in there! You can't blame me; I got the bad genes for this stuff."

"Don't I know," Simony muttered, opening her half-full trunk. With a small gesture of her hand and a word, the ten-year-old made the clothes that littered her part of the floor clean, fold, and fly into the trunk, filling the rest of that compartment. She snapped the lid shut and unlocked another fourth of her trunk, accessible only to her and her brother.

Inside the locked box, Simony held a great many things, some dangerous and some sentimental (and some both). For instance, there was a mirror that she could contact her brother with, and use the back of it to reflect and spells, hexes, jinxes, curses, or charms shot at her — including the Unforgivables.

There was also a bottle of Basilisk venom, provided by a _friend_ of hers, mixed with a small amount of Phoenix tears (a 1:7 ratio) to make a painful, but very long-lasting, poison. Simony also kept an album given to her from her human friends in the States (where she and Zev lived for the first six years of her life, not including the year she spent with Lily and James) filled with comforting memories in there.

Simony shuffled things around a bit, storing the dangerous items in back of the more sentimental items. It wouldn't be good for her rep if someone found Phoenix Venom in her trunk. After all, Aimee Andrus was just a small little girl with almost no worldly experience. She could blame her brother for her magic-based CD player. Music was one thing that Simony was not going to give up at Lazarin. No way, no how. Not even Zev could get her to give up Nirvana, Vanilla Ice, Cake, or Oasis.

With everything ready for the short trip the next day, Simony climbed into bed, asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillows.

* * *

And so ends the third chapter of this story. If you like it, by all means feel free to review. There won't be another chapter up for a while, I must warn you. But reviews do help my motivation. (Hexes: _casts sad puppy-dog eyes at reader_.) 


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